Thursday 14 April 2016

Central Bank aware of identify of ‘Sri Lankan names” in Panama Papers leak - Governor

The Central Bank has the names of Sri Lankans identified in the Panama Papers leak but no details wouldn't be revealed until a proper investigation is undertaken, the governor said on Tuesday.

Mr. Arjuna Mahendran told reporters that the bank’s Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) is carrying out an investigation into some of those papers that they have received and was also requesting information from other central banks and other investigative arms globally.


He said that as they were unable to give details as - according to preliminary investigations carried out - there seems to be some doubt regarding the authenticity of the documents.

Mr. Mahendran noted that there are millions of pages of documents and the doubts regarding authenticity was mostly because of the fact that the information had come from third parties who themselves were likely to have even planted names of individuals.

“I find it difficult (to believe) that so much money has left (Sri Lanka). I find it difficult to believe those large numbers,” the governor said referring to the large numbers mentioned in the media concerning monies that would have left the country.

The Panama papers are an unprecedented leak of 11.5 million files from the database of the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca. The documents indicate the manner in which some of the richest people exploiting secretive offshore tax regimes with the names of 12 national leaders among 143 politicians, their families and close associates from around the world who have used offshore tax havens. (SD)
www.sundaytimes.lk

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